GENERAL ELECTIONS IN 15th September 2011

European Elections monitor The Social Democrats are running favourite in the general elections that will take place on From Corinne Deloy Translated by Helen Levy 15th September in Denmark.

On 26th August Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen (Liberal Party, V) announced that ANALYSIS the next general elections would take place on 15th September. The head of government had to convene the election before 13th November next. The Prime Minister explained that the general elections should, in his opinion, take place be- fore the next parliamentary session, planned in October so that the government could imple- ment the necessary reforms for the recovery of the economy as quickly as possible. Recent general elections have always taken place early in Denmark. In 2001 they were organised 4 months before the end of parliament’s mandate, in 2005 they came 9 months early and in 2007, 15 months earlier than they were due. “It is customary in Denmark for the Prime Minis- ter to announce the organisation of the general election like this and he always tries to do it unexpectedly. It is a kind of power that the head of government enjoys,” says Soren Risberg Thomsen, a professor of political science at the University of Aarhus. The general election traditionally takes place on a Tuesday except for those in 1990 and 1994, which took place on a Wednesday. This year the election will take place on a Thursday.

A country affected by the economic crisis. recovery over the next two years. “When the world is as uncertain as it is now we need to plot the path Economic issues (recovery of growth and public fi- to follow, this is the government’s task. The solution nances) will be one of the central stakes in these lies in taking economic responsibility which makes elections. Denmark, whose GDP contracted by 0.1% Denmark one of the safest countries in the world in the first quarter of 2011 and which experienced and not one of uncontrolled debt and high . We negative growth in the previous quarter, is in re- do not want to create growth by borrowing,” decla- cession at present. “The national economy or how red the outgoing head of government, adding “at the can Denmark recover growth? This will be the theme height of the debt crisis the have the choice of the electoral campaign,” says Peter Goll, an ana- between uncontrolled debt or a responsible fiscal lyst for the consultancy Geelmuyden.Kiesse. “These policy and the duration of the .” general elections will be won according to the re- The sustainable growth plan, the total of which rises covery of growth and improving employment. The to 10.8 billion crowns (1.4 billion €), is designed to next issue on the list will be how to guarantee the boost the building industry (further public spending Welfare State,” indicated Lars Andersen, director for – notably on the road and rail infrastructures , aid the Economic Council for Labour. to the real estate market – suspension of some pro- Over the last few weeks the government and the op- perty taxes as well as registration fees on property position have each presented their plan to bring the – and support to investment and private consump- country out of the economic crisis. On 23rd August tion.) Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen revealed his According to the Finance Minister the country’s de- plan for “sustainable growth” designed to stimulate ficit that rose to 2.8% of the GDP last year, is due

Political issues FONDATION ROBERT SCHUMAN / GENERAL ELECTIONS DENMARK / 15TH SEPTEMBER 2011 General elections in Denmark 15th September 2011

to rise to 68 billion crowns (9.1 billion €), i.e. 3,8% (KF), led by . The former Finance Mi- of the GDP, this year and to nearly 85 billion crowns nister and head of the present government replaced (11.4 billion €) in 2012 (4.6% of the GDP), i.e. + 5 in April 2009 after the lat- billion in comparison with what it was in May last. ter’s appointment as Secretary General of NATO. 02 Low consumption, declining international growth The government has been the minority in govern- forecasts and the collapse of stock exchanges has ment since it came to power in 2001. It enjoys the increased pressure on public finances said Finance support of the Danish People’s Party (DF), a far right Minister , in explanation to populist party led by Pia Kjaersgaard. This support the rise in the budgetary deficit above the 3% set was conditioned by a major tightening up in terms of by the EU’s growth and stability pact. The Finance Danish legislation with regard to . Hence Minister also reviewed Denmark’s growth forecast Denmark is one of the most closed EU Member downwards in 2011. This is due to lie at 1.3% of the States to foreigners. GDP (and not 1.9% as announced in May last); it is An individual has to be aged at least 24 in order to due to rise to 1.8% in 2012. “The world is different be able to bring a foreign spouse into the country today than it was before the summer,” stressed Claus (who must also be at least 24). The latter also has Hjort Frederiksen, explaining the declining economic to have strong links with Denmark (more than with forecasts. The recovery plan includes measures to any other third country), pay a deposit of 100,000 improve economic activity and to create 8,000 new crowns (13,400 €) and finally live in an apartment jobs. The unemployment rate was due to rise to 4% that matches the required standards. In 2002, there of the working population in June. “The sustainable were 8,151 cases of family spouse reunion whereas growth programme is totally funded and does not in 2005 they totalled 3,252. endanger the goal of bringing balance to the budget In the spring of 2011, parliament approved a new in 2020,” he added. law restricting immigrant access to resident permits. Prime Minister Rasmussen also presented the draft A point permit system combining the knowledge of budget. It includes austerity measures but the go- Danish and a person’s professional situation was es- vernment has however promised to increase the tablished. education and healthcare budgets. Before the eco- Under pressure on the part of the Danish People’s nomic crisis in 2007 Denmark’s budget displayed a Party on July 1st last year Denmark also re-intro- surplus of 80 billion crown. “This programme is the duced a measure that was highly criticised by its government’s answer to the new international crisis partners in the EU, in the shape of permanent cus- and to the upcoming general election; it basically toms checks on borders. comprises traditional measures in budgetary spen- The outgoing Prime Minister declared on 26th August ding,” declared Steen Bocian, an economist at the last that his government coalition would campaign Danske Bank. towards the centre and not the far right. “The Liberal On 21st August last the leftwing opposition presented Party and the Conservative Party are standing to win its own economic recovery plan. It plans for spen- a new term in office and make safe public finance in ding to an almost equivalent sum in infrastructures, a world that has been marked by market turbulence education, healthcare and renewable energies. The and the debt crisis,” indicated Mr Rasmussen. funding is due to come from new bank taxes, capital The parties in the government are approaching gains and from the wealthiest Danes. “In this these elections in a weak position. With the leftwing period of international debt crisis that is affecting opposition ahead in the polls, they also failed to win Denmark as well, our economy needs responsible the support of the Danish People’s Party with regard economic policies not irresponsible wishes,” decla- to their economic recovery plan. red Mr Rasmussen as he spoke of the left’s propo- After having spent 10 years in the opposition the sals. Social Democratic Party (SD) led by Helle Thorning- Schmidt hopes to form a majority government with The Political Situation its allies in the People’s Socialist Party (SF) led by Villy Sovndal, after the election. “After ten years of Lars Lokke Rasmussen’s government brings to- government by the right the country is struggling,” gether the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party declared the opposition leader. “The crisis has been

Political issues FONDATION ROBERT SCHUMAN / GENERAL ELECTIONS DENMARK / 15TH SEPTEMBER 2011 General elections in Denmark 15th September 2011

hard on Denmark. We have 175,000 unemployed conducted and no limit is set on how the election and our companies need new orders,” she added. in funded. The opposition has promised to relax the immigra- In view of the general elections the political parties tion policy and to review the government’s decision started campaigning at the start of 2011. to re-introduce customs controls on its land borders 8 political parties are represented in the present 03 if it wins the next general elections. Folketing: The Social Liberal Party (RV), that lies in the centre - The Liberal Party (V), the party of outgoing Prime of the political scale but which since the 1990’s has Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen. Founded in 1870 it mainly worked together with the Social Democrats, has 46 seats; has often found itself in the position of kingmaker in - The Social Democratic Party (SD), the main op- the past. Its leader, Marghrethe Vestager, repeated position party led by Helle Thorning-Schmidt since on TV2 that she supported Helle Thorning-Schmidt 2005 has 45 seats; in her bid for the post of Prime Minister. - The Danish People’s Party (DF), a populist far right party founded in 1995 and led by Pia Kjaersgaard; The Danish Political System it supports the government coalition in Parliament and has 25 seats; The Folketing, the single Chamber of Parliament, - the People’s Socialist Party (SF), an opposition comprises 179 members who are elected for 4 party created in 1959 by a former chair of the Danish years by proportional representation according to Communist Party who was excluded for having cri- the Sainte-Lagüe method. To be able to put forward ticized the USSR’s invasion of Hungary in 1956. It lists in the general elections all parties have to be brings together socialists and ecologists and is led represented in Parliament when the election is held. by Villy Sovndal, and it has 23 seats; If this is not the case a number of signatures has to - The Conservative Party (KF), founded in 1915, is a be collated corresponding to 1/175th of the votes member of the government coalition and led by Lars declared valid during the last general elections. The Barfoed with 18 seats; provinces of and the Faeroe Isles each - The Social Liberal Party (RV), an opposition party have two representatives. The other 175 seats are founded in 1905 and led by Marghrethe Vestager distributed across three regions: , Jut- with 9 MPs; land and the islands. These three regions are then - New Alliance (Y) (that became the Liberal Alliance) divided into three urban and seven rural constituen- was founded in 2007 by dissidents of the Social Li- cies. The number of seats allocated to each of the beral and Conservative Parties. Led by Anders Sa- constituencies is proportional to the number of in- muelsen with 5 seats; habitants and is reviewed every five years. The cal- - The Unity List (E), results from the alliance of culation undertaken (addition of the population, the the Communist Party (DKP), the Socialist Workers’ number of voters at the last election and the surface Party (SA) and the Socialist Left (VS). The party area of the constituency in square km multiplied by does not have a leader but is managed by an execu- 20, the result of this is then divided by 175) favours tive committee of 25 people. It has 4 MPs. the regions where the population is low. The latest poll by Megafon and published on 26th The distribution of seats is undertaken in two stages, August last by the daily credits the left firstly by party and then by candidate. One hundred opposition with 52.2% of the vote and 90 seats in and thirty five of the 175 are constituency seats, the Folketing i.e. a majority. The government coali- forty of them are compensatory seats. This makes it tion and its parliamentary ally, the Danish People’s possible to guarantee a national representation for Party, is due to win 47.8% of the vote together and the “small parties”. However in order to accede to 85 seats. the distribution of compensatory seats a party must The poll by Voxmeter for Ritzau credits the left op- have won a minimum of seats in a constituency or a position with 96 MPs and the right coalition with the number of votes that is either higher or equal to the populists led by Pia Kjaersgaard with 79 seats. “The number of votes necessary to win a seat in at least polls give a clear lead to the opposition. It will take two of the three regions in the kingdom, or at least a major event for Lars Lokke Rasmussen to win,” 2% of the votes cast nationally. analyses Peter Goll of the consultancy Geelmudy- Although the principles governing the organisa- den.Kiese. tion of the general elections are included in the If the left wins, Helle Thorning-Schmidt may very Danish Constitution of 1953, the kingdom does not well become the first woman ever to lead the Danish have any rules with regard to how the campaign is government.

15TH SEPTEMBER 2011 / GENERAL ELECTIONS DENMARK / FONDATION ROBERT SCHUMAN Political issues General elections in Denmark 15th September 2011

Reminder of the General Election Results in 2007 in Denmark

Turnout : 86,53% 04 Political Parties No. of votes won % of votes won No. of seats Liberal Party (V) 908 472 26,2 46

Social Democratic Party (SD) 881 037 25,5 45

Danish People’s Party (DF) 479 532 13,9 25

Socialist Peoples Party (SF) 450 975 13 23

Conservative Party (KF) 359 404 10,4 18

Social Liberal Party(RV) 177 161 5,1 9

New Alliance (Y) 97 295 2,8 5

Unity List (E) 74 982 2,2 4

Christian Democrats (K) 30 013 0,9 0

Independents 549 0 0

Source : Interior Ministry of Denmark The Opposition in the Lead in the Danish General Election Race

Economic issues, notably the recovery of growth, more jobs and the protection of the Welfare State are the focus of the Danish general election campaign. The election will take place on 15th September next. The present economic crisis has taken over from immigration, which was the main focus of attention in the elections in 2001, 2005 and 2007, years when the Danish economy was flourishing. D-7 “People have dropped the theme of immigration which has been the heart of the political agenda for the last ten 7 days before years. Moreover the Danes are satisfied with what their government has done in this area, which, in their opinion, the poll has succeeded in reducing immigration in the main,” says , co-director of the think-tank Political Research Centre. The Danish People’s Party (DP), on the far right, led by Pia Kjaersgaared, and a provider of parliamentary support to the government led by outgoing Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen (Liberal Party, V), has on several occasions tried to bring its favourite subject to the fore. Hence it suggested moving the reception centres for asylum seekers from Denmark to the countries from where the asylum seekers come, such as and also the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. The People’s Party continues to fight for greater control over the country’s borders. Hence on July 1st it succeeded in convincing the government to restore permanent customs controls on the borders in exchange for its support to the reform of early retirement pensions. “In a globalised world it is important to protect our Welfare State from people who come from elsewhere and take advantage of the benefits our society can provide,” declared , the DP’s spokesperson for Justice. The outgoing Prime Minister has repeated that he will not form a government alliance with the People’s Party after the election on 15th September. After the crime committed by Anders Behring Breiving in on 22nd July last (76 deaths in a shooting incident), Lars Lokke Rasmussen has, over the last few weeks, tried to distance himself from the People’s Party.

Political issues FONDATION ROBERT SCHUMAN / GENERAL ELECTIONS DENMARK / 15TH SEPTEMBER 2011 General elections in Denmark 15th September 2011

The National Statistics Institute reviewed its socio- Danes must choose between uncontrolled debt and the economic data upwards for the first quarter of 2011 upkeep of their Welfare State,” declared the Prime Mi- (increase of 0.1% of the GDP). Hence Denmark has nister Lars Lokke Rasmussen who maintains that the escaped (after two consecutive quarters of negative government has chosen a policy to limit spending and growth) recession, since the Danish GDP contracted by that it is fighting to counter tax increases (the Conser- 05 0.2% in the fourth quarter of 2010. “This confirms that vative Party, an ally of the Liberal Party at the head of we are experiencing a moderate recovery and that the the State, supports further tax reductions to stimulate plan set up by the government to boost consumption demand) whilst the opposition, which he depicts as was the right one,” commented Finance Minister Claus irresponsible, is planning to boost growth via further Hjort Frederiksen (V). borrowing. The left wing regularly promotes budget fi- On 23rd August the government revealed “its sustai- gures: Denmark has indeed moved from a 5% GDP nable growth plan” designed to stimulate growth over surplus to a budgetary deficit of 4.6%. the next two years. Totalling 10.8 billion crowns (1.4 The Social Democratic Party (SD) won the local and billion €), the latter includes several investments in the regional elections on 17th November 2009. In the local construction sector (further public spending – notably elections it won 30.7% of the vote, ahead of the Libe- in terms of road and rail infrastructures help to the ral Party (V), which won 24.8% of the vote. In all the property market – suspension of certain local taxes left won 51.2% of the vote against 43.9% to the right. and also on fees to register property – and support The Social Democrats won in Copenhagen, Aalborg and to investment and private consumption). “The eco- Odense. Regionally they won three regions (Hovedsta- nomy is moving in the right direction,” declared Kris- den, Midtjylland and Nordjylland) and the Liberal Party tian Thulesen Dahl, in charge of financial issues for the two, (Sjaelland and Syddanmark). People’s Party. “The Liberal Party and the Conservative Party are going Steen Bocian, an economist for the Danske Bank, sees to ballot with the idea of working with all of the Danish an encouraging sign in the most recent figures pu- political class,” declared outgoing Prime Minister Lars blished by the National Statistics Institute but warns Lokke Rasmussen. that the data does not take into account the finan- According to the polls the so-called “red” coalition that cial and economic crisis of this summer, the effects of brings together the opposition parties (Social Demo- which are not due to emerge in statistics until the 3rd cratic Party, the People’s Socialist Party (SF), the Social and 4th quarters of 2011. “Denmark has just managed Liberal Party (RV) and the Unity List (E)) are due to to avoid the recession. We should be happy but the win the election on 15th September. In a poll published figures reveal the fragility of the Danish economy,” in- by the daily Jyllands-Posten the Ramboell Institute dicates Michael Staehr, chief analyst at the Sydbank. credits it with 53.8% of the vote (95 MPs in parlia- Denmark is due to experience growth of 1.7% this year ment) against 46% for the so-called “blue” coalition and 2% in 2012, according to the latest Central Bank (80 seats) that brings together the Liberal Party, the figures. According to the latter the decline in house- Conservative Party and the Danish People’s Party. hold consumption was balanced out by an increase The gap between the two coalitions is just as big in in public spending and investments. The decrease in the poll by Voxmeter, published by the press agency consumption, a lifeless property market and high sa- Ritzau: 54.6% for the opposition (97 MPs) and 44.6% laries (some of the highest in the world) which impede for the government parties (78 seats). growth and reduce competitiveness are still a problem Finally, according to the Berlingske Barometer dated for Denmark. 6th September last, 52.4% of the electorate is about to The government believes that fiscal consolidation and vote for the red coalition (92 MPs) and 47.6% for the severe social cuts (notably the reform of early re- blue (83 seats). The Social Democrats are due to win tirement pensions and a reduction in aid granted to 25.8% of the vote – a low score (just above that achie- students) should prevent the public debt from rising ved in the last general elections on 13th November and enable budgetary balance by 2020. The oppo- 2007) but which would enable them to recover their sition forces want to fund the debt via growth. They position as Denmark’s leading party, ahead of the Li- are suggesting to boost public investments and to berals, who are due to win 23.7%. The Danish People’s extend the weekly working time (by 12 minutes per Party is credited with 12.3% of the vote. day) to improve productivity and fiscal revenues. “The Although his party is losing ground in the polls,

15TH SEPTEMBER 2011 / GENERAL ELECTIONS DENMARK / FONDATION ROBERT SCHUMAN Political issues General elections in Denmark 15th September 2011

outgoing Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen is has been the same for the last ten years. They want however deemed by his countrymen to be the most something else. We have a tradition in this country: credible political leader according to a poll by Ram- governments last ten years. We are now going to be 06 boell for the daily Jyllands-Posten. Nearly two Danes in governed by the Social Democrats for some time,” de- ten (19.4%) who were asked to appoint the most cre- clared Svenning Dalgaard, political editor of the TV dible politician quoted the head of government; 16,4% channel TV2. “We are going to have a new govern- would choose Marghrethe Vestager, leader of the Social ment after the general election on 15th September Liberal Party (RV), 14.2%, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the next but post-electoral negotiations between the va- Social Democratic leader and 9.2% Pia Kjaersgaard, rious parties will be difficult,” stresses Soren Risberg leader of the People’s Party. Thomsen, professor of political science at the Univer- “The Danes are tired of having a government which sity of Aarhus.

A change of government in Denmark where the opposition just wins the general elections.

The leftwing opposition forces led by the Social Democratic Party (SD) won the general elections that took place in Denmark on 15th September. Together the four parties in the Red Bloc – the Social Democratic Party, the Social Liberal Party, the People’s Socialist Party

RESULTS and the Unity List – won 50.2% of the vote and 89 seats in the Folketing, the only chamber in Parliament, i.e. +8 in comparison with the previous election on 13th November 2007, pushing ahead of the Blue Bloc – formed by the rightwing – the Liberal Party, the Danish People’s Party, the Liberal Alliance and the Conservative Party – which won 49.7% of the vote and 86 seats (-3). The Liberal Party, (V) led by outgoing Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, maintains its position as the country’s leading party with 26.7% of the vote and 47 seats (+1). It leads over the Social Democrats led by Helle Thorning-Schmidt who won 24.9% of the vote, i.e. their weakest result since 1906, and 44 seats (-1). The Danish People’s Party (DF), a far right populist party led by Pia Kjaersgaard, lost ground for the first time in its history; it won 12.3% of the vote and 22 seats (-3). The Social Liberal Party (RV), an opposition party led by Marghrethe Vestager, made a breakthrough with 9.5% of the vote and 17 seats (+8). Conversely the People’s Socialist Party is clearly on the decline, winning 9.2% of the vote and 16 seats (-7). The Conservative Party (KF), a member of the outgoing government coalition led by Lars Barfoed, won 4.9% of the vote (-10), losing more than half of its seats, thereby becoming the smallest party in the Folketing. The Liberal Alliance, formerly the New Alliance (Y) won 5% of the vote and 9 seats (+ 4). Finally the Unity List (E) a leftwing opposition party won 6.7% and 12 seats (+ 8). Kaj Leo Johannesen and Aksel Johannesen were elected in the ; Kuupik Kleist and Aleqa Hammand in Greenland. Turnout rose to 87.71%, very slightly over the rate recorded in the previous elections on 13th November 2007 (+ 1.18 point).

Political issues FONDATION ROBERT SCHUMAN / GENERAL ELECTIONS DENMARK / 15TH SEPTEMBER 2011 General elections in Denmark 15th September 2011

“We did it! Today is the day of change. We have shown “We are sure of one thing only, and that is that the new again tonight that the Social Democrats are a major government will make it more costly to be Danish. We force which occupies a central position in Danish so- already have the biggest public sector in the world. ciety,” declared Helle Thorning-Schmidt on the an- We should stay on the path which brought us through nouncement of the results. “Together we can write the crisis reasonably, provide Denmark with optimism 07 history. We can say goodbye to ten years of bourgeois and not create obstacles to private consumption nor rule that has now ended so that we can offer a new go- should we make life more expensive for the Danes,” vernment and a new majority to Denmark,” she added, declared Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who had asked saying that she would work towards building “a society voters to remain loyal to him to prevent the left from that leaves no one out and in which everyone has a undoing everything that his government had achie- second chance.” ved; he warned of promises that were “funded by tax Outgoing Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen ac- increases which will lead to a reduction in household knowledged defeat, congratulating his rival on her consumption.” The outgoing Prime Minister, whose success and announced that he would resign the next party had probably lost momentum, after ten years in day. “Tomorrow at 11am I shall deliver my govern- power, was not heard and economic difficulties promp- ment’s resignation to the Queen. There is no longer ted the Danes to sanction the outgoing government. any reason to remain in government,” he said on the In terms of immigration – a subject that has divided TV channel TV2. the Scandinavian kingdom for a long time – Helle The general elections were dominated by the Danes’ Thorning-Schmidt said that she wanted to establish a concern about their economy. In a poll undertaken at more human system of political immigration than that the beginning of September, three quarters of them implemented by the previous government – however (74%) quoted this subject as being the most important she said that she would not go back on most of the issue in the election. measures taken over the last ten years by the latter. Denmark, which was considered to be top of the class “One of the reasons why immigration was not a stake in in terms of its economy, only just managed in the election was that the left adopted the same to avoid recession (two consecutive quarters of nega- attitude as the right on this issue,” declared Peter Kur- tive growth) thanks to an increase of 0.1% of its GDP rild-Klitgaard, a political science professor at the Uni- in the first quarter of 2011. The unemployment rate is versity of Copenhagen. rising and the country’s budgetary deficit, which to- Aged 44, Helle Thorning-Schmidt is a graduate in po- talled 2.8% of the GDP last year, is due to rise to 68 litical science from the and billion crowns (9.1 billion €), i.e. 3,8% of the GDP in of the Collège d’Europe in Bruges. She is married to 2011 and to nearly 85 billion crowns (11.4 billion €) Stephen Kinnock, son of the former leader of the Bri- the following year (4.6% of the GDP). Four years ago tish Labour Party, (1983-1992), Neil Kinnock. in 2007 Denmark’s budget was in surplus of over 80 Joining the Social Democratic Party in 1993, she first billion crowns (5% of the GDP). was head of the secretariat of the party’s delegation Helle Thorning-Schmidt criticised Lars Lokke Ramus- in the in 1994 and 1997 before sen’s outgoing government for having failed to recover becoming an international consultant for the Danish growth and for having increased the budgetary deficit. Unions’ Conference (LO). In 1999 she became an MEP, She suggests that Denmark should have “a new start”. then entered the Folketing after the general elections To do this she supports raising public investments in of 8th February 2005. education and infrastructures and to raise taxes on After the election that was won by the right and the highest revenues; she also defends the retire- after the resignation of the previous social democra- ment system that the outgoing government wanted tic leader, , Helle Thorning-Schmidt reform. The leftwing opposition plans to inject 18 stood to succeed him. On 12th April 2005 she was billion crowns into the economy (2.4 billion €) funded elected to lead the party with 53.2% of the vote, bea- by loans and a 12 minute increase in working hours ting who was positioned more to the (one extra hour in the week). “We are not joining the left. She then became the first woman to lead the austerity band wagon,” said Helle Thorning-Schmidt. social-democrats. The left has promised the return of budgetary balance In this position she has worked in support of brin- by 2020. ging her party closer to the People’s Socialist Party

15TH SEPTEMBER 2011 / GENERAL ELECTIONS DENMARK / FONDATION ROBERT SCHUMAN Political issues General elections in Denmark 15th September 2011

and the Social Liberal Party and recommended a uni- Helle Thorning-Schmidt is effectively heterogeneous. fied government supported by the Red and Green Al- Hence, the Social Liberal Party (RV), that lies in the liance if the leftwing won. “She has been able to heal centre of the political scale supports a liberal economic 08 wounds that date back to the 90’s and rebuild unity policy and tried, during the campaign, to minimise the in the party thanks to her qualities as a leader, which role that the People’s Socialist Party and the Unity List include both authoritarianism and team spirit,” says would have in the future government. These parties Rune Subage, a political expert at the University of disagree on several major issues: retirement reform, Aarhus. immigration, taxation and economic policy. Having succeeded in federating the Danish left and in Moreover the change in government should not make winning the elections she is now due to become the any deep changes in Denmark. “The differences first woman Prime Minister in Denmark’s history. between the two ends of the political scale are mini- Although the Red Bloc’s victory is undeniable, the left mal. The changes will not be very big,” says Bo San- only won by a narrow majority. The formation of the demann Rasmussen, professor of political science at next government may be difficult. The coalition led by the University of Aarhus.

General Elections results of 15th September 2011 in Denmark

Turnout : 87,71%

Political Parties No of votes won % of votes won No of seats

Liberal Party (V) 948 291 26,7 47

Social-Democratic Party (SD) 881 534 24,9 44

Danish People’s Party (DF) 436 335 12,3 22

Social-Liberal Party (RV) 336 149 9,5 17

People’s Socialist Party (SF) 326 118 9,2 16

Unity List (E) 236 982 6,7 12

Liberal Alliance 176 473 5 9

Conservative Party(KF) 174 563 4,9 8

Christian-Democrats (K) 28 157 0,8 0

Independents 1 832 0,1 0

Source : institut danois de la statistique (http://www.dst.dk/valg/Valg1204271/valgopgmid/valgopgHL.htm)

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Political issues FONDATION ROBERT SCHUMAN / GENERAL ELECTIONS DENMARK / 15TH SEPTEMBER 2011